WASHINGTON − Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota has been appointed as the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, marking the third confirmation of a nominee by President Donald Trump.

Noem secured the necessary votes from senators on Saturday, achieving a confirmation of 59-34. Former Senator Marco Rubio from Florida received unanimous approval as Secretary of State on Monday, and a former Fox News host was confirmed as Secretary of Defense with a close vote of 51-50 on Friday evening, with Vice President JD Vance casting the decisive vote.

These confirmation votes followed Trump’s second inauguration and occurred shortly after their respective committee hearings.

In her new role, Noem will be pivotal in actualizing Trump’s pledge to deport undocumented immigrants on a large scale.

Who is Kristi Noem?

Noem was serving her second term as governor of South Dakota when she was selected by Trump for a cabinet role.

Before her governorship, she represented South Dakota in the House of Representatives for four terms as the state’s only congresswoman.

Noem has been a staunch supporter of Trump and was once speculated to be a potential running mate for him in the 2024 elections.

What is the Role of the Secretary of Homeland Security?

The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for numerous agencies, including Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

As the new head, Noem and her team, which numbers in the hundreds of thousands, are expected to concentrate on operations at the southern border, an area where Trump has declared a national emergency. She will collaborate with the president’s border czar, Tom Homan.

What Happened with the Dog Incident?

Noem faced criticism last year after the release of her memoir, “No Going Back,” which contained a story about shooting her hunting dog, Cricket.

Her book also drew ire for inaccurately stating that she met with North Korea’s leader. “Kim Jong-un was mistakenly included in a list of global leaders I had met,” Noem’s spokesperson Ian Fury explained to the New York Times, attributing the mistake to the book’s ghostwriter and stating that corrections would be made in future editions.